pistorius etal



y 10, 1956 V o. PISTORIUS ETAL 2,754,105

HEATING APPARATUS FOR ORES Filed April 24. 195] 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L142)! Z 1S L 'du/I' I l/eke;- g b whiz/ 11 United States Patent HEATING APPARATUS FOR ORES Otto Pistorius, Duisburg, and Ludwig Weber, Berlin-Wiimersdorf, Germany Application April 24, 1951, Serial No. 222,632 8 Claims. (Cl. 263-63) The present invention relates to the smelting of iron from iron ores and more particularly to the smelting of iron with the simultaneous production of town gas in which briquettes consisting of coal and ore are used (Weber process). This process, which promises to be successful, has already been carried out in discontinuous steps, but so far it has not been possible to carry out the process continuously.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which the above mentioned process can be continuously carried out. With the above object in view, the present invention consists in first mixing fine coal and fine ore and manufacturing briquettes from this mixture, if necessary by adding binding agents, and subsequently passing the material to be heated in the form of said briquettes, substantially continuously, in direct flow through one or more tubular vessel furnaces, in which they are subjected zonewise, by sprinkling on and/or mixing with a hot finely granulated heat carrier, to quick coking or quick low temperature carbonisation, the smelting of the briquettes, after removal of the heat carrier, being effected in a low shaft furnace.

This basic process may be modified in various Ways. The division of the heating portion into several zones, in which the heat carrier is directed on to the briquettes at various positions and at different temperatures, enables the progress of the heating of the briquettes to be closely followed and thereby to adapt the process to the characterisics of the briquettes, particularly the fuel portion of the briquettes.

Various finely granulated materials may be used as heat carriers. Sand is a useful material for the purpose. Particular advantages are obtained if the ore used in the briqnetting is first used as a heat carrier. This has not only the advantage that only one single material is dealt with, but that, a roasting or other thermal dressing or improvement in the quality of the ore is obtained by driving out volatile components by the heat which has to be passed to the heat carrier, this being effected without any additional expenditure of heat. The ore or other heat carrier is circulated, and, if ore is used, a certain part which has already been heat-treated, is continuously led off and passed to the briquetting process.

It has been found to be advantageous to use in the quick low temperature carbonisation and/ or quick coking process of the coal-ore briquettes a process similar to what is known colloquially as the pilgrims step. In this process the sand or other heat carrier in each of the abovementioned zones is led in parallel flow to the briquettes, while in the counter-flow process it passes to those zones which are nearer to the starting position in the movement of the briquettes through the furnace. Thus there is a kind of counter-flow process from zone to zone, and within the zones themselves a parallel flow process. The heat of the heat-carrier is thus substantially fully utilized. On the other hand the heat concentration is effected at those. positions where it is most favourable for the low temperature carbonisation or coking. With many maice terials these positions are in the rear portion of the passage of the briquettes. The pilgrims step process may also be used in the low temperature carbonisation of other solid fuels and with bituminous fuels, such as oil shale.

A revolving cylindrical furnace may be used, which has the advantage that no interior installations need be provided, that is to say, neither a conveyor nor any other interior installation. This does not exclude any projections or scoop-shaped elements being provided inside the furnace, which cause an eflicient blending of briquettes and heat carrier.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views of two difierent embodiments of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the tubular vessel of the present invention showing agitating means arranged around the inner wall thereof.

In Figure 1 the coal-ore briquettes 1 are led from the bunker 2 through the discharge device 3 and the slide device 4 into the rotating tubular vessel 5, all the above mentioned constituting an inlet means for the briquettes. Hot heat carrier substance, sand 6, is fed into the tubular vessel 5 by way of the supply means for same comprising slide 4 leading from sluice 7 so that the briquettes and sand reach the drum together. The tubular vessel 5 is rotatably supported on roller bearing support means 8 and 9. The tubular vessel rotates in the housing 10 from which the low temperature carbonisation gases are extracted at gas collecting means 11. When the briquettes have been heated to a certain temperature by means of the hot sand, the sand is sieved off by separating means at 12, and new and hotter sand enters the tubular vessel through the sluice 13. The new sand mixes intimately with the briquettes and heats them. In order to obtain as intimate a mixing as possible and to bring sand and briquettes repeatedly into admixture, agitating means in the form of lugs, sweeps, scoops (as best seen in Fig. 3), or like elements 5a may be provided which, during the rotation of the tubular vessel 5, take the sand up with them and then sprinkle it from above on to the briquettes.

After further heating of the briquettes, the sand is again separated by the separating means at 15 and hot sand is passed into the tubular vessel 5 at 17 through the supply sluice 16. The coal-ore briquettes are now brought wholly up to the required low temperature carbonisation and/or coking temperature so that they are to a great extent degasified. The sand, still hot, is separated by the separating means at 18 and used again as hereinafter described. The cooling is effected by considerably cooler sand which passes into the tubular vessel at 20 through the supply sluice 19, and together with which the correspondingly cooled briquettes then leave the tubular vessels 5 at outlet means 21. The sand is removed through a sieve 22 so that only the finished, degasified and/or distilled briquettes reach the feeding funnel 23. They fall through a seal 24 on to a conveyor 25 which carries terial being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously flow through said tubular vessel from the upper end thereof to the lower end to be discharged through said outlet means; supply means for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substance into said tubular vessel intermediate the ends thereof so that the heat carrier substance flows together with said material and in substantially the same direction for transfer of heat therebetween; separating means for separating said finely divided heat carrier substance from said material at spaced points along said tubular vessel; transferring means for removing the thus separated flowing heat carrier substance at said spaced points along said tubular vessel and for reintroducing the thus removed heat carrier substance without reheating into said tubular vessel closer to the upper end thereof for passage of the thus reintroduced heat carrier substance through at least part of said vessel, said transferring means including conduit means and fluid pressure means for moving the heat carrier substance through said conduit means; collecting means for receiving from said tubular vessel the heat carrier substance after passage thereof through said vessel; heating means connected to said supply means for heating said heat carrier substance before introduction thereof into said tubular vessel by said supply means, and conducting means for passing the heat carrier substance from said collecting means to said heating means.

4. In a heating apparatus for treating a fuel-ore mixture, in combination, support means; an elongated tubular vessel mounted on said support means for rotation about its longitudinal axis and being inclined so as to have an upper end and a lower end; inlet means at said upper end of said tubular vessel for introducing the fuel-ore mixture to be heated in said tubular vessel; outlet means at the lower end of said tubular vessel for discharging the material therefrom, the fuel-ore mixture being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously flow through said tubular vessel from the upper end thereof to the lower end to be discharged through said outlet means; supply means for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substance into said tubular vessel intermediate the ends thereof so that the heat carrier substance flows together with the fuel-ore mixture and in substantially the same direction for transfer of heat therebetween, the fuelore mixture being adapted to yield gaseous substances during heating thereof by said heat carrier substance; separating means for separating said finely divided heat carrier substance from said material at spaced points on said tubular vessel; transferring means for removing the thus separated flowing heat carrier substance at said spaced points along said tubular vessel and for reintroducing the thus removed heat carrier substance without reheating into said tubular vessel closer to the upper end thereof for passage of the thus reintroduced heat carrier substance through at least part of said vessel; heating means connected to said supply means for heating said heat carrier substance before introduction thereof into said tubular vessel through said supply means; and gas collecting means for collecting said gaseous substances produced in said tubular vessel.

5. In a heating apparatus, in combination, support means; an elongatedtubular vessel mounted on said support means for rotation about its longitudinal axis and being inclined so as to have an upper end and a lower end; inlet means at said upper end of said tubular vessel for introducing material to be heated in said tubular vessel; outlet means at the lower end of said tubular vessel for discharging the material therefrom, the material being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously flow through said tubular vessel from the upper end thereof to the lower end to be discharged through said outlet means; supply means for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substance into said tubular vessel intermediate the ends thereof so that the heat carrier substance flows together with said material and in substantially the same direction "for transfer of heat therebetween; agitating means in said tubular vessel for intimately mixing said material and said heat carrier substance; separating means for separating said finely divided heat carrier substance from said material at spaced points along said tubular vessel; transferring means for removing the thus separated flowing heat carrier substance at said spaced points along said tubular vessel and for reintroducing the thus removed heat carrier substance without reheating into said tubular vessel closer to the upper end thereof for passage of thus reintroduced heat carrier substance through at least part of said vessel; collecting means for receiving from said tubular vessel the heat carrier substance after passage thereof through said vessel; heating means connected to said supply means for heating said heat carrier substance before introduction thereof into said tubular vessel by said supply means; and conducting means for passing the heat carrier substance from said collecting means to said heating means.

6. In a heating apparatus, in combination, support means; an elongated tubular vessel mounted on said support means for rotation about its longitudinal axis and being inclined so as to have an upper end and a lower end; inlet means at said upper end of said tubular vessel for introducing material to be heated in said tubular vessel; outlet means at the lower end of said tubular vessel for discharging the material therefrom, the material being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously flow through said tubular vessel from the upper end thereof to the lower end to be discharged through said outlet means; supply means for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substance into said tubular vessel intermediate the ends thereof so that the heat carrier substance flows together with said material and in substantially the same direction for transfer of heat therebetween; transferring means for removing the flowing heat carrier substance at spaced points along said tubular vessel and for reintroducing the thus-removed heat carrier substance without reheating into said tubular vessel closer to the upper end thereof for passage of the thus reintroduced heat carrier substance through at least part of said vessel, said transferring means including conduit means and fluid pressure means for moving the heat carrier substance through said conduit means; heating means for heating said heat carrier substance before introduction thereof into said tubular vessel through said supply means; and conducting means for passing the heat carrier substance discharged at said lower end of said tubular vessel to said heating means to be heated thereby and to be reintroduced after heating into said tubular vessel through said supply means, said conducting means being connected to said fluid pressure means to thereby provide for movement of the heat carrier substance in said conducting means toward said heating means.

7. In a heating apparatus, in combination, support means; an elongated tubular vessel mounted on said support means for rotation about its longitudinal axis and being inclined so as to have an upper end and a lower end; inlet means at said upper end of said tubular vessel for introducing material to be heated in said tubular vessel; outlet means at the lower end of said tubular vessel for discharging the material therefrom, the material being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously flow through said tubular vessel from the upper end thereof to the lower end to be discharged through said outlet means; supply means for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substance into said tubular vessel intermediate the ends thereof so that the heat carrier substance flows together with said material and in substantially the same direction for transfer of heat therebetween; separating means for separating said finely divided heat carrier substance from said material at spaced points on said tubular vessel; transferring means for removing the thus separated flowing heat carrier substance at said spaced points along said tubular vessel and for introducing ,the thus ,rernoved .heat carrier-substance without-reheating :into,said tubular vessel-closerto the vupperrend thereof forpassageofrthe thus reintroduced heat carriersubstance through at least part of said vessel, said transferring means comprising outlet openings in saidtubular member rspaced along the bottom thereof,

inlet openings spacedalong the top of said tubular member, and conduit meansextendingbetween the respective outlet openings and. an inlet. opening located closer to the upper end of saidtubular vessel than the respective outlet -opening;rcollectingmeansfor receiving from said tubular vessel the heat carrier substance after passage thereof through said vesselyheating means connected to said supply ,means for, heating said heat carrier sub- :stance before introduction thereof into said tubular vessel by:said supply means; and conducting means for passing the heat carrier substance from" said collecting means to said heating means.

8. In a heating 'apparatusfortreating a fuel-ore mixture, in combination, support means; an elongated tubular vessel mounted on said support means for rotation about its longitudinal axis and being inclined so as to have an upper end and-a lower end; inlet means at said upper end of said tubular vessel for introducing the fuelore mixture to be heated in said tubular vessel; outlet 'means at the lower end of-said tubularvessel for discharging the material theret'rom, the fuel-ore mixture being adapted during rotation of said tubular vessel to continuously fiow through said tubular vessel from the upper .end thereof to the lower end tobe discharged through said outlet means; supplytmeans for introducing a finely divided heat carrier substancecornposed of ore into said tubular-vessel intermediate theends thereof so that the heatcarriersubstance flows together with the fuel-ore mixture and in substantially the same direction for transfer ts :of heat therebetween; separating means for separating said finely divided heat carrier substance from said material at spaced points .along said tubular vessel; transferring means for removing the thus separated flowing heat carrier substance at-said spaced points along said tubular vessel and for reintroducing the thus-removed heat carrier substance Without reheating into said tubular vessel closer'to the upper end thereof for passage of the thus reintroduced heat carrier substance through at least part of saidvessei; heating means connected to said supply means for heating said heat carrier substance before intro duction thereof. into said tubular vessel by said supply means, said heating means constituting a roasting furnacefor said-heat carrier ore substance; means for forminga fuel-ore mixture and for conducting the same to'saidinlet means at the upper end of said tubular vessel; andrcc-nducting means for passing part of the heat carrier ore substance discharged at the lower end of said tubular vessel to said heating means to be heated thereby and to be reintroduced after heating into said tubular vessel, through said supply means, and for passing another partofsaid heat carrier ore substance to said means for forming a fuel-ore'mixture.

July 10, 1956 |F|ELD 2,754,106

SPEED GOVERNORS Filed Sept. 21, 1953 

1. IN A HEATING APPARATUS, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS AN ELONGATED TUBULAR VESSEL MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND BEING INCLINED SO AS TO HAVE AN UPPER END AND A LOWER END; INLET MEANS AT SAID UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR VESSEL FOR INTRODUCING MATERIAL TO BE HEATED IN SAID TUBULAR VESSEL; OUTLET MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID TUBULAR VESSEL FOR DISCHARGING THE MATERIAL THEREFROM, THE MATERIAL BEING ADAPTED DURING ROTATION OF SAID TUBULAR VESSEL TO CONTINUOUSLY FLOW THROUGH SAID TUBULAR VESSEL FROM THE UPPER END THEREOF TO THE LOWER END TO BE DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID OUTLET MEANS, SUPPLY MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A FINELY DIVIDED HEAT CARRIER SUBSTANCE INTO SAID TUBULAR VESSEL INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF SO THAT THE HEAT CARRIER SUBSTANCE FLOWS TOGETHER WITH SAID MATERIAL AND IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DIRECTION FOR TRANSFER OF HEAT THEREBETWEEN; SEPARATING MEANS FOR SEPARATING SAID FINELY 